Juston Jefferson talks encounter with police, how it affected him, and more

Juston Jefferson had his own encounter with police where he allegedly bit and threatened to kill officers during DUI arrest. We got a chance to talk to Juston and get his side of the story. Read more below

Explain who you are for those who dont know
Juston Jefferson, 22, South Louisiana native born & raised in Plaquemine, Been settling in Baton Rouge for several years now. Local Tattooist in my sophomore, Amongst other crafts.

Talk to us about what happened in the video?
The video is visual evidence captured by an innocent bystander depicting moments before the second responding officer arrived and approached the police vehicle I’m clearly being placed “back into” though I had already been cuffed and restrained in the backseat by the older male civilian who carried me at wrist and ankle with the officer BEFORE this video had begun recording. Clearly I was cuffed and restrained, hands behind my back, before being pulled out the vehicle to be tasered by the initial responding officer who had been brutally restraining me with the assistance of the first civilian to the far right who’s seen kneeing me at the end of the video is the same man I made record of before, I wasn’t well, disoriented after blacking out due to a unknown medical condition I’ve been seeking verification and diagnosis of based on my family’s own medical history. The the entirety of the altercation I wasn’t trying to escape nor made any attempts to flee the scene, I was in surreal pain after being in a wreck where the vehicle I was operating was smoking I suffered several head injuries even after the initial accident delivered the first blow. Yet I moved my vehicle from the roadway before the officer arrived.

Can you remember it very vividly?
Yes, So vividly that as my memory returned to me in bits and pieces in those following months after I was able to recover from what I can only describe as a mental break brought on by the constant memory of other bystanders watching, just feet away as some chose to look away ashamed by their own reluctance as others sought to make me into a wild animal being restrained justly as they recorded the altercation without cringe or deterrence.

CLEAR AS DAY RESTRAINED & STILL BEING TASED, enduring an ongoing attack by civilians the officer is 100% fine with what’s exhibited @WBRZpic.twitter.com/BEahp9JVM3

How has this incident affected your life?
I understand that I made mistakes along the way attempting to defend myself from what I feel was a hate crime but I’ve been impacted greatly by this entire ordeal. Mentally It’s been hard enduring post traumatic stress and anxiety alike.
Physically I couldn’t work at all.. or function as I normally would ever again, even after recovering from mental hardships the anxiety associated with everyday interactions social or of any nature would first require me to step out into a world I didn’t then.. and have yet to truly feel untargeted in to this day.

Has anyone reached out to you to apologize for the incident?
No,I’ve launched countless endeavors on my own behalf to reach out to anyone out there and it fails. I’ve had access to nothing but a selectively honest police report. After being beaten by civilians who assisted in giving me lacerations on my forehead and gory flesh wounds on both knees to match the wounds on my right side after being “restrained” by a taser brutally while already in handcuffs in this video, I’m now being denied due judicial process to recognize these civilians as criminals carrying out a civil crime against me as the officer never deters or disapproves of their behavior. I’m a very humble person, no prior convictions or violence in my past, I’d to this day apologize to any and everyone offended or harmed by my own actions.

How do you think we can prevent things like this from happening?
Systematic racism will never cease to exist. Not until Police are reformed and re-educated. Why is it that deputized officers respond to and are actively “Policing” incidents just like this one done the RIGHT WAY… ONLY when involving white people, not black people.
Why can someone off the street to no relevance of me lacking insight on WHY the officer was actually struggling to take me down so aggressively yet have total disregard for another person’s physical or mental wellbeing. When you’re black you’re automatically a target but even more so in the worst state in the country regarding to poverty, violence, unemployment, amongst other crippling factors.

Do you have a message you would like to get out there?
I’d like to be an advocate of chronic depression amongst other mental deficiencies black communities undermine and dissappove of in a way that’s negligent. Humans often forget that it’s up to us to not dehumanize one another, in a world that’s not fair to begin with we all too easily forget that we’re here to love one another and protect one another, I’ve done my fair share of wrongs that need righting but the secret of getting ahead is getting started and I want anyone out there that can match that energy that they’re not alone, I’ve endured and lived through things I wanna be able to help others overcome together.

What are you working on music wise?
It’s been a struggle getting my debut project
“Global Warning” back on track after a wild year, but I’m strong and positive now more than ever and I’ve got the ball rolling..
I’ll be finishing up production in these months to come and releasing the project soon after.. so hold tight look out for new music and visuals sooner than anybody thinks

Can we expect a song about the incident?
Surly, without a doubt depicting life in south Louisiana, my hometown of plaquemine and Baton Rouge especially.
Though the incident was one of many key factors to me making the push to pursue my music seriously it’s not what drives my passion.
I have a message that’s bigger than me and I’m looking to help anyone I can along the way, creatives far too often let things like this let something great inside themselves die and I’m here saying pursue your purpose in life, it’s the only thing that makes having people you love around you worth the bad times you endure alone.

Anything else you would like to say?
All Homage.. I’m in tears right now just knowing what y’all are trying to do for me man. Love & Positivy, Stay Based
Surly goodness and mercy shall follow you